2010 MBCA Autocross! (DC area)

[Johnhef]

Yes folks after a slight delay we have our dates for the first 4 autocrosses of the season at a new, but familiar location out in Winchester Virginia; James Wood High School will be host to us once again.

161 Apple Pie Ridge Rd
Winchester, VA 22603

April 25th
May 16th
May 30th
June 27th

We hope you will be able to join us this year, we also plan on having a few in Maryland but at the time are still looking for a suitable location so if you know of one, please PM me. Membership in the club is NOT required, nor is owning a Mercedes, even if you own a BMW... you are welcome to come out and join us!

GWS autocrosses start with registration at 8:00 AM. The cost to register on-site is $25 for MBCA members. For 2009 we are testing a reciprocal agreement allowing CDC members to pay the same registration fee as MBCA members. Participants who are not MBCA or CDC members pay $30 and may only register for two events during the year without joining either MBCA or CDC.

We expect participants to help during the day by assisting with setting out cones to mark the course, and unpacking and setting up equipment. During the event those whose run groups are not on the course are expected to work the start or stop garage, or one of the corner stations. Participants are also expected to help clean up and pack up at the end of the day.

Once everything is set up and the day's course has been tested, usually by about 9:00 AM, we have a short drivers meeting. During the meeting we cover safety issues and rules for the event. After the driver's meeting participants may walk the course.

We break participants into run groups. The number of registered drivers determines the number of groups and drivers in each group. Practice runs start as soon as the first run group is set. Instructors are available, and all beginners must have an instructor. Beginners should signal their need for an instructor when they line up to start their runs. When a run group is finishing their final runs, we announce the names of the drivers in the next run group. Pay close attention to announcements – doing so will ensure you have plenty of time to get lined up for your session, and that will help us keep things on schedule.

Over the course of the day, each driver can expect a minimum of six runs - three for practice during the morning sessions and three scored runs during the afternoon sessions. Practice runs are timed, but do not count for final results. Two exceptions: The event chair can elect to use morning times for any participant who has a valid reason for missing the afternoon session, and we may use morning times for everyone should weather conditions force us to stop the event before all run groups are able to complete their afternoon sessions.

We use the Mercedes-Benz Club's national events guide to group Mercedes-Benz cars. We consider performance characteristics in the event we need to group cars the national events guide lists as belonging to different classes. Standings in each Mercedes-Benz group are determined by raw times. For other marques we use current SCCA guidelines to determine class and the current SCCA PAX index to derive an indexed time that determines finish order for the autocross. We base Fastest Time of the Day (FTD) awards on raw times.

Trophies are awarded at the end of the year for each class. Scoring is based on the driver's best five scores in the eight events. Those who do not complete at least five events are not eligible for a trophy.

1. What is autocross?

Autocross is a timed low-to-medium speed driving event held on a parking lot or large paved area. The course is defined by traffic cones called pylons. Only one car is on the course at a time. The objective is to drive through the course as quickly as you can without knocking down the cones. The course changes at every event.

2. What Defensive Driving?

Especially helpful for new drivers, defensive driving has something to offer drivers of all ages and experience levels. The event consists of four to seven exercises designed to help students learn more about vehicle dynamics. Exercises are done at low speeds on courses laid out using traffic cones that serve as pylons. During the exercises, students get a feel for how their car will react during emergency situations such as rapid evasive maneuvers.

3. Why would I want to autocross?

Autocross improves your street driving! Everything you learn about handling and braking carries over to your daily drive. And, its FUN!

4. Will autocrossing hurt my car?

Except for a little wear and tear on your tires, autocrossing should not hurt your car.

5. What must I do to prepare for an autocross?

Keep your car in good mechanical condition. Since things rattling around in your car are at least distracting, and sometimes dangerous, we require you to clean out your trunk and remove all loose items from the passenger compartment. We recommend you leave all unnecessary items at home. Be sure to bring a large plastic bag or two to cover up the loose items you'll have to remove to pass the pre-event tech inspection. Before your first run, you should increase tire pressure by about 10 pounds over the manufacturer's recommended tire pressures.

6. Do I need a helmet?

Yes - we have loaner helmets for those who don't have one.

7. Will the event go on as scheduled if it rains?

Unless conditions are really bad, we run rain or shine.

8. Do I need special tires?

No. In fact we recommend that novices run on regular street tires until they get the feel for autocrossing. Performance tires do tend to show up on the cars of those who participate regularly.

9. Do I need to be a member of the Mercedes-Benz Club to participate?

No - we allow non-members to participate in up to two events during the year. If you want to participate in more than two events, you will have to join the club. Dues are $45 per year. If you decide to join MBCA, the the autocross registrar or any club member can help you with a form. Or you can check the MBCA web site for registration.

10. What is the penalty for knocking down a cone?

Each cone knocked down or moved out of its box adds two (2) seconds to the (raw) time for that run. Knocking the end cone in the stop garage down (or out of its box) results in an automatic DNF.

11. What is a DNF?

Did Not Finish - no time is recorded.

12. Will I be allowed to run the course again if the timing equipment fails to record a time?

Yes, but only during the afternoon sessions. We do not allow re-runs during the morning practice sessions.

[powerpig]

Can we bring our own beer, or do we have to buy them from you?

[Johnhef]

If by beer, you mean water and sodas, we provide them.